Skiing's impact on Utah's economy is nothing to shake a
ski pole at. Last season out-of-state skiers spent $400 million for
their Utah ski vacations, including airfare, lodging, meals lift tickets
and ground transportation. Salt Lake's highest hotel occupancy levels run from January through March, during the peak of the ski
season.

Sixty percent of Utah's winter adventure seekers came from
out-of-state last season. California alone supplied 30 percent of them.
About 5 percent came from foreign countries. Non-resident skiers have a
mean household income of $82,000.

These findings are the result of the 1990-91 Utah Skier Survey
prepared for the Utah Ski Association by the Bureau of Economic and
Business Research (BEBR). The Utah Ski Association is a non-profit
organization whose membership includes alpine and cross-country ski
areas, hotels, transportation companies, and retail services affiliated
with Utah's ski industry. Ski Utah, operated with the same staff
and office, is the agency charged with promoting Utah's ski
product.

"The most startling discovery is the large sums of money being
spent by out-of-state skiers," said Thayne Robson, director, BEBR.
Skiers to Utah spend an average of $145 per day. "It's
remarkable to me that skiing is still growing in Utah, at the same time
it is relatively flat nationally."

Utah Has the Edge

While skiing in other regions of the country has hit the ice in
recent years, Utah last year experienced its best ski season ever, an
increase of 10.4 percent over the previous year. Utah's 14 ski
areas set a combined record during the 1990-91 season for total number
of lift tickets sold (2,751,551), a measurement known as "skier
days" (one person skiing part or all of one day).

Five factors point to steady growth for Utah's ski industry,
according to Randy Montgomery, executive director of Ski Utah: (1)
Opportunities for increased marketshare because of easy access to
Utah's slopes and Delta's hub presence and expansion of
routes; (2) Even though Denver will soon have a new airport, it will be
30 minutes farther away from Colorado's major ski areas; (3)
Utah's snow (manmade and natural) is consistently drier and lighter
than that found in other places; (4) Utah's ski areas are
accessible from wherever the skier chooses to stay; (5) Skiers can ski
less expensively here.

"Utah's mountain ranges sit in the most ideal spot on the
globe," exclaimed Chris Allaire, director of public relations,
Solitude. "Our mountains suck in storms from three directions,
making Utah's ski product second to none. We have ski options to
meet all pocketbooks."

Utah's success is also due to the resorts' increased
snowmaking capabilities, faster and higher-capacity lifts, and the
positive media exposure resulting from Salt Lake's bid for the
Winter Olympics and Park City's hosting of America's Opening,
the year's first World Cup event.

"During America's Opening the weekend before
Thanksgiving, Utah receives two days of live coverage on ESPN and 10 to
12 European television networks, plus coverage in New Zealand and
Japan," said Mark Menlove, communications director at Park City Ski
Area. "Utah is reaching millions of people when they are deciding
where to take their vacations. That translates into significant numbers
of bookings."

Brian Head, near Cedar City, attracts 40 percent of its skiers from
California. Another 36 percent come from Las Vegas, America's
fastest growing city. Its drawing cards are nearby Bryce and Zion
national parks that are open in the winter, plenty of new condominiums
and one luxury hotel, and no lift lines - even on holidays. Though the
resort doesn't have snowmaking, it usually opens the last week of
November. Ruby's Inn at the entrance to Bryce makes a brisk
business of snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Marketing Utah's Frozen Gold

"The word is out that Utah is an excellent place to ski,"
said Allaire. "Just go to any ski trade show and see our
competition. They have nothing over Utah's ski presentation or
product. We have the services, the snow, and the world-class resorts.
And we're no longer hearing as much about the myths that the
sidewalks in Utah roll up at night."

Evidently the Utah ski experience is worth it. The BEBR study shows
that once people ski in Utah, they are likely to return. Of the
non-resident skiers last year, 64 percent had previously skied in Utah.
Approximately 89 percent of non-resident skiers responded that skiing or
vacation was the principal reason for their visit to Utah. Six percent
said they were in town for business or convention.

Skiers want to do more than just ski during their vacations. The
availability of apres-ski options is important in deciding where they
will go. The BEBR study substantiated this: 14 percent intended to visit
Temple Square; 6 percent planed to attend a Utah Jazz basketball or
Golden Eagles hockey game; another 3 percent were going to attend a
performance of the Utah Symphony, Ballet West, or Utah Opera; and 5
percent planned to also participate in cross-country skiing. Other
popular winter activities are sleigh rides, snowmobiling, hot-air
balloon flights, nightclubs, and ice skating.

The Homestead resort in Midway offers the "You Won't
Believe This Ski Package," including lodging, meals, rental cars,
and ski passes at nearby resorts, and an extra activity such as
snowmobiling. Last year it also opened its new cross-country ski course
and ski shop.

"Today's skiers are looking for value," said Jim
Keane, president of Advance Reservations, the nation's largest ski
tour operator. The Park City company sells ski packages to more than 26
destinations throughout the western U.S. and Canada, others to Europe,
and summer ski packages to New Zealand and South America. "The
actual total cost of the package isn't as important as how much
skiers get for their dollar. They want ease of access to the slopes and
a certain comfort level in their accommodations. Utah generally has good
snow conditions and is known for excellent accessibility to the ski
areas," he said.

"Skiers like to hop from resort to resort, rather than ski in
the same place day after day. They like Utah's diversity, where
every day offers something new," said Allaire. In Utah, confident
intermediate skiers can ski five major resorts in a single day with Utah
Interconnect, a program coordinated by Ski Utah. Using downhill
equipment, guides escort groups through the backcountry connecting
Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude, and Park City ski areas. The full
day of skiing includes runs at each of the resorts and lunch.

Without the revenue from non-resident skiers, Utah most likely
would not have the existing resort and recreational facilities to enjoy
year-round. "Much business that takes place in the state correlates
to the availability of skiing," Robson said. "And it might be
fair to conclude that we wouldn't have the economic development
happening in Park City if it weren't for the ski industry. It is
the impetus for most of the residential and commercial development
there."

More than 45,000 Utahns are directly employed by the ski industry.
Critics say these jobs are mostly part-time and low-paying, seasonal
positions. "At Solitude, many of our employees don't want
full-time jobs," Allaire explained. "Many of them have other
jobs - as park rangers or river guides - in the summer."

Marketing Partners

Delta Air Lines, the official airline of Ski Utah, sponsors the
annual Ski the West Fest in Salt Lake City, hosting more than 300 top
producing ski-travel agents from around the country. The trade show
features nearly 100 ski-industry vendors and exhibitors.

"Ski the West Fest represents a tremendous commitment by Delta
to promote Utah," said Fred Rollins, district marketing director
for Delta and a member of Ski Utah's executive committee. "The
real benefit is that it is held here. The show brings together all
marketing entities to sell the Utah ski product," he added.

Delta hosts more than 50 travel agents several times a year, as
well as travel-writer groups (in coordination with Ski Utah) for inbound
familirization trips (fams). The purpose is to educate the agent about
the area and skiing so they can recommend the right vacation for their
clients. Fams provide travel writers the opportunity to visualize the
vacation package components to the public, to whet their appetites for
skiing. "Travel agents and writers can't believe they can stay
in Salt Lake and be skiing within half an hour," Rollins commented.
Delta spends more than $1 million advertising and promoting Utah skiing
on billboards, radio, and television in such cities as Atlanta, Dallas,
and Los Angeles. It also promotes the Utah ski experience in its
collection of "Delta Dream Vacation" packages. Delta's
Salt Lake marketing office sends Utah Ski Planners to all of the
airline's marketing offices. "They use them on sales calls to
top travel agents and ski-club members. It creates an army of sales
people for Utah skiing, at no expense to Utahns," Rollins said.

The Competition Heats Up

Colorado has 28 ski areas - most of them mega-complexes with
enormous advertising budgets - and quadruple Utah's ski business.
Utah has 14 ski resorts. Colorado has more than 20 percent of
America's total skier market, while Utah holds 5 percent. Colorado
has a tourism-promotion budget of $12 million, 40 percent of which is
allotted for the ski industry. Utah has a year-round promotional budget
of $3.6 million, 26 percent of which is spent on winter promotion.
Colorado finances its tourism promotion with tax dollars. Utah's
travel budget, on the other hand, depends on appropriations from the
Utah Legislature. Tourism-industry representatives plan to lobby the
Utah Legislature this year for another $2 million in funding.
Denver's new airport will prompt Utah ski promoters to accelerate
their marketing efforts.

The growth of Utah's ski industry has been hampered by higher
costs for labor, taxes, utilities, fuel, insurance, and equipment.
According to Montgomery, Utah is one of the few states in the country
that requires the payment of sales tax on lift tickets, a factor he
believes hurts the industry in Utah.

Utahns were recently disappointed to learn that local favorite Park
West would not open this year, due to a failed business deal with
potential investors. Park West owner Jerry Gilomen reported that,
despite this year's shutdown, he is committed to the long-term
success of Park West, which will reopen next season.

Locals Ski, Too, Don't They?

The BEBR study revealed that Utah residents comprise less than 40
percent of Utah skier days.

Why don't more Utahns ski? We are young, but a population with
relatively modest incomes (Utah's mean household income is
$42,000), and skiing is not an inexpensive activity, said Robson.
According to him, Utahns participate in larger than expected numbers in
traditional sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, and outdoor
recreation. "To guarantee the future growth of skiing in our state,
we need to look at what can be done to get more Utahns involved."

This year, Ski Utah will implement an in-school fitness program in
20 to 25 pilot schools. The program meets the Board of Education's
Healthy Lifestyles core curriculum. "We provide all the
instructors, at no cost to the school," said Raelene Davis of Ski
Utah. "The program will get the students fit for all sports, not
just skiing. It is not a |learn to ski' class," she
emphasized. The curriculum for the classroom course will include an
optional learn-to-ski day.

For locals, resorts offer substantial preseason discounts and
incentives to ride the bus. Snowbird offers a corporate rate (quantities
of 20 to 99 lift passes are $32 per pass instead of $39).

"We have a ton of potential customers living in the Salt Lake
valley right at our back door," said Allaire. "We're
coming up with innovative ideas to invite them up to ski."
Solitude's new learning center - a 7,000-square-foot facility at
the base of the mountain - is especially designed to help never-ever
skiers and children learn to ski or improve their techniques. The
resort's Master's Program for skiers age 50 and older includes
a full day of skiing, instruction, and lunch. "It's a nice way
for people to get together with their peers and learn to ski,"
Allaire commented. In addition to its downhill runs, Solitude -
Utah's only alpine resort that also has a nordic course - devotes
as much effort to promoting its cross-country ski facilities.
"It's an up-and-coming trend, and it offers the skier another
amenity."

Expansion Plans

Two years ago, Salt Lake County Commissioners enacted the first
Wasatch Canyon Master Plan, designed to balance environmental and
developmental concerns in the canyons adjacent to Salt Lake City.

According to Randy Horiuchi, Salt Lake County Commissioner, the
plan's top priority is to solve the problems of water quality and
traffic congestion. The canyons receive more than 5 million visits each
year, only one-third of which are related to skiing. "The plan
allows existing ski resorts to grow at a controlled, planned rate,"
he said.

Under the plan, those ski areas with existing Forest Service
permits can expand within their present boundaries. All parties agree
that the Wasatch Front ski areas have the potential to double their
current skier capacity.

To help ease traffic congestion in Big and Little Cottonwood
Canyons, the master plan suggested building park-and-ride lots at the
mouths of the canyons. Ski resorts, county departments, and Utah Transit
Authority have pooled resources to build the lots. Horiuchi believes
that some form of mass transit up the canyons will eventually be needed
to accommodate the thousands of visitors. At that time, the master plan
will probably be updated.

At the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton Ski Resort has
undergone perhaps the most changes this year of any of the big seven
resorts. After conducting an Environmental Impact Study last summer, the
Forest Service approved several changes. The new Crest Express is a
high-speed detachable quad lift that climbs one mile up a 1,200-foot
vertical rise to the ridgetop above Mount Majestic.

With beginning, intermediate, and advanced runs, Brighton has
always been the place where Salt Lakers learn to ski, said Randy Doyle,
area manager. "Salt Lake is our bread and butter, and we're
living up to that commitment." This year an adult day pass is $21;
children age 10 and under ski free with a paying adult. Brighton also
plans a new 60-unit motel, and new restaurants and skier-service
buildings. The Big Cottonwood Canyon sewer line is in place, and
Brighton's facilities are hooked up this year for the first time.

The true test of the success of the Wasatch Canyon Master Plan will
come over time, Horiuchi observed. In the meantime, Utah's ski
areas have the terrain, facilities, accessibility, learning programs for
all ages, and consistent snow patterns to continue attracting
out-of-state skiers ... and perhaps even the locals.

PHOTO : Utah's 14 ski areas set a new record last season for
lift tickets sold.

PHOTO : Once people ski in Utah, two-thirds come back for more.

COPYRIGHT 1991 Olympus Publishing Co.
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.